


What's Next

by Shorlinne



Category: Dandelion: Wishes Brought to You (Video Game)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Budding relationships, F/M, Mid-Game, Minor Spoilers, Spoilers, but we should use that tag on everything, jisoo is sort of a moron, literal petting, petting, talking to plants
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-04
Updated: 2016-12-04
Packaged: 2018-09-06 09:38:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8745157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shorlinne/pseuds/Shorlinne
Summary: In which the relationship opens and begins to blossom a little betwen Jisoo and Heejung. Concerns about what the two *want* out of things rise-- And fall. A bit of gentle fluff exploring the idea of the future. Takes place mid-game and after 'Becoming Confident'. Minor route spoilers.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Oh, Jeeze. I think this was what? Our VERY FIRST piece with them? S had fun playing with Jisoo and trying to step into his voice here. C was super kind about all her screwups.   
> We wrote these a little out-of-order and definitely uploaded them out of order, but if you'd like an ordered reading suggestion:  
> Becoming Confident - Clearing Up Some Things - What's Next

DATE: 11/07/2012

 

_“I like you.”  
“I like you, so don’t meet up with other guys. Because I like you.” _

Heejung stared up at the ceiling. The previous night played over and over in her mind. Her heart raced and her stomach fluttered. 

Did it really happen?

 

_“...Me...too…”_  
“...I like you too.”   
_Widening eyes, a warm smile, and his hold moved from her wrist to her own hand._

 

_He...likes me. Likes me. But...how? After so long of hearing the opposite?_

 

She buried her face in her pillow. Her mother, the one who brought her into the world, raised her and guided her along this path, she would’ve disagreed with this whole event and dismissed it. 

_The only way you can have a partner, Heejung, is if you are successful! If you have to time to be drawing, then--_  
You do not socialize enough! How do you expect to shape your future this way?  
No one will look at you like that with the way you are. 

 

The whole night pretty much consisted of this along with tossing and turning. 

_“What?! What...What are you talking about? I haven’t yet--”  
“What?! What did you just say, buddy?! Yet?!”_

 

She had never felt so dumb in her life. After hours of reflecting on it, she finally came to a conclusion.   
This, and the time when Heejae was drunk, when he mentioned to me I looked like his ex. Am I really only someone to...

 

Heejung couldn’t finish the thought; it made her feel sick to her stomach, almost like a sharp pain.

 

Like metallic butterflies. 

 

She blew her bangs out of her eyes and sat up before glancing at her clock. 

 

9:34 AM. 

Good thing it was a day off.

~~~~~~

 

After eating a bowl of oatmeal and fixing herself a mug of hot chocolate, Heejung sat down on the patio floor outside. She snuggled deeper into her fluffy, pink robe. With her sketchpad and pencils on her lap, she was ready to do some sketching. There was a pleasant breeze outside and it was cool, perfect for a day to draw. Normally she would take a shower and get dressed right now, but she needed to clear her head. 

 

So today is November 7th. Oh, Jisoo’s birthday is in a little over a week...eight days!   
Soon after the guys changed back into their human forms, Heejung asked them all for their birthdays. Celebrating birthdays had to be a good way to get more accustomed in a new world, right? To show that some things didn’t change no matter where they were from. 

 

She stared down at her sketchpad. 

_He’d love it if I drew something; he encourages me in terms of my art all the time. There’s no way I could give him any justice, but...maybe for him I can try. ___

__

__Heejung smiled softly and flipped open her sketchpad. Most of it consisted of sketches of birds and plants, and in past few months that changed to the guys in their animal forms. She loved drawing them playing and chasing one another, and the sketches always made her feel good whenever she looked at them._ _

__Real life people, though? She sketched out a couple of movie posters from downtown, but otherwise..._ _

__

___Heejung swallowed hard and closed her eyes to picture her best friend...well, something more than that now, surely. Strong, broad shoulders, soft eyes, a kind smile.  
With a soft-lead pencil in hand, she started to sketch out the basic shapes and outlines: triangles for his ears, ovals for his eyes, soft lines for his mouth and hair…  
Heejung drew with care, holding a breath with each motion of her pencil. _

__

___Jisoo yawned, stretching slightly. How long had he slept in? It wasn’t like him to do so-- Usually he was up before the sun, crouching in the kitchen over the gurgling of the sleepy coffee maker, fussing with buttons and settings just trying to get the damn thing to work. Today, however, his thoughts were fogged and he groaned, pulling the throw pillow over his face as sunlight smeared its messy fingers across his eyelids. Blinking through his hair he groaned and sat up slowly, back creaking with the effort. Shaking sleep from his head he sat up and crouched, burying his head in his hands and the foggy recollection of the night before tumbled at him in low, lazy waves.  
Had he really said--  
Had that _coward__ really--  
Yes. He was faced with it in the slow creeping hours, the sound of distant birds grating on his nerves. His ears swiveled to the open patio door and-  
Wait. Why was it open, of all things?  
Groaning, he hoisted himself up and staggered towards the door, clutching the frame as he growled into his palm, running his hands down his face,  
“Who invented this time of day, any…?”  
The question died in his throat as he caught sight of her back, bent and warm in the growing light, her hair mussed, her lips thinned in conversation and wrapped around the end of a pencil. The quick move her tongue made over the rubber made his heart lurch and his stomach spin, igniting feelings that Eddie would have called ungentlemanly, though he was one to talk…  
Licking his lips, he managed, trying not to rasp out her name as desperately as his body told him he felt,  
“Heejung…?” 

__

__Heejung focused so deeply into the drawing that Jisoo’s footsteps toward the patio went unnoticed. She placed her lips on the edge of the pencil, her brows furrowed close together.  
 _With the light coming in from his left, that would mean I need to lightly shade her--__ _

__

___He called out her name, and her concentration completely shattered. Her eyes widened, and she did a double-take at her sketchpad.  
The sketch was half-complete on the page; the Jisoo on the page seemed to stare at her, his eyes bright.   
Heejung’s own eyes widened in horror as she stared down at the page.   
_No! He’ll see-- he can’t see it!__

__“J-Jisoo...?!”_ _

__She flailed as she grabbed the sketchpad’s cover in a panic, but this sent her pencils rolling all across the patio floor._ _

___No, no, no!_ _ _

__Some pencils bumped into the wall and others into the plants’ pots, but the majority of them rolled to bump into the washing machine’s side. Heejung grasped three of them before they could roll too far away, nudging her sketchpad onto the ground next to her, away from the door._ _

__It sat there still open on the ground, pages fluttering._ _

__“I-I’m sorry...Um.” Heejung grasped two by the plants. “I didn’t mean to wake you up.” She bit her lip and turned to pick up the remaining ones by the washing machine, sighing softly. Finally looking up, she gave Jisoo a small smile, albeit a little shaky. Her heart finally started to slow down again, but the fluttering in her stomach from nerves remained._ _

___I should...do something...._ _ _

__Heejung took a deep breath. “I made some hot chocolate in the kitchen...do you want some?”_ _

___“Er-” He began, blinking sleepily as she flustered over her books and pencils. He was still too groggy to really catch what had been on the page, but it’d looked nice. He wondered if it was some sort of still-life, or maybe a study-- He’d ask later. His ears had perked up as his smile rose and he grinned at her, kneeling to help her up,  
“That sounds-- Great. You okay, f-- Heejung?”  
He eyed her and raised a brow, “I didn’t mean to startle you. I don’t look _that_ bad, do I?”_

__

__Heejung shook her head and smiled, taking his hand. “No...not at all.” She allowed him to pull her up before shyly looking down at her feet. “You look really…” Her cheeks burned a deeper red. “Really...a-attractive, even while sleepy like this, so...”_ _

__She squeezed his hand and turned to face the patio door. “Let me get it for you! Marshmallows or none?”_ _

__

__“ALL of the marshmallows,” He announced, and grinned, opening the door for her. He grinned broadly, and ran a hand through his hair, “And you don’t have to compliment me. But thanks. You look nice too.”  
He hummed a bit in the back of his throat, adding around a chuckle, “I like that robe on you.” I’d like it better off was quite left unsaid._ _

__

__Heejung blushed and looked down at the ground. “T-Thanks,” She fidgeted slightly; getting all of these compliments felt so new. Nodding, she looked up at him._ _

__“All right! It’ll be ready in a moment-- I have to heat up the milk first...it’s much better made with milk than water.”_ _

__

__“I’ve never had it with either,” He confessed, leaning on the counter as he followed her in, peering into the cabinet curiously. He squinted, “Is it the stuff in the paper packets? Because Jiyeon tried to make one but I think he accidentally made gravy instead.” Jisoo squinted suspiciously at one of the aforementioned packets, and scowled,  
“Gravy is not a drink.”_ _

__

__“Well, it is in a paper packet, but it’s clearly…” Heejung stared at the paper packets dumbfounded. “They are labelled differently...um, never mind.”_ _

__She grabbed two packets and paused, her eyes widening. “I left my mug outside! Er...” Heejung whirled around. Right. Her things. “Let me go get it. ...After getting yours.”_ _

__Another sheepish smile, and she then she headed toward the patio again._ _

___Jisoo blinked in confusion, then huffed around a coffee mug with small pigs printed out on it, muttering into the empty glass as he eyed it suspiciously,  
“Definitely _not_ a drink.”  
His eyes lifted to watch Heejung curiously as she hurried back out. Had she had a mug out there? He hadn’t been paying attention at all. She’d been- _distracting._  
 _She probably wouldn’t be so distracting if you weren’t such a pervert, Jisoo. _  
 _Shut up,__ he frowned at himself internally, and fought a scowl. What was keeping her so distracted this morning? And what was with him and all the thinking? He didn’t like it. He’d rather be eating.__

____ _ _

____Heejung came back in with her sketchpad and mug. While Jisoo’s mug was more decorated and lively, hers was a simple pale blue one. She shut the patio door behind her and walked over to where he was at the counter once again._ _ _ _

____“Okay, milk…”_ _ _ _

____She muttered to herself softly while pouring into the two mugs; they had to be perfect if this was Jisoo’s first cup of hot chocolate ever, right? She placed his in first to heat up, then hers._ _ _ _

____The microwave let out a boop a few minutes later, announcing the mugs were hot. After dumping the packets and stirring them both, then creating a marshmallow mountain for Jisoo’s, they were ready._ _ _ _

____“I would’ve offered whipped cream, but I’m out.” Heejung smiled shyly and handed his mug to him._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____Jisoo moved back from the microwave, having been leaning over the counter to peer at it as it rotated his cup, eyes following the handle. He turned his attention back to Heejung and his ears twitched, falling forward as a smile lit up his face,  
“This looks good anyway-- But I can’t start until _you_ have _yours_.” He idly popped a marshmallow into his mouth, and grinned goofily around it, “Cheers?”_ _ _ _

____ _ _

____Heejung nodded, her smile growing bigger._ _ _ _

____“Yes! Cheers!”_ _ _ _

____She very lightly tapped her mug to his, then took a tiny sip with her eyes closed. Even though it was still too hot for her to really drink it, the heat from the mug going into her hands calmed her a little._ _ _ _

____Too bad her mind still wanted to spin around in circles._ _ _ _

________If we like each other, which we do, then we are a thing...right? Doesn’t becoming a couple involve a lot more? After all, that’s why so many people love romance as a genre, right?  
But those television operas and romance novels are so cheesy; there’s no way they are like that!   
But they have to have some truth involved!   
...How do I even act? What do I do?   
No, no, actually: why did it happen? Not that I am not glad it didn’t but...agh…_ _

____ _ _

____Heejung blew into the cup lightly and sighed._ _ _ _

____ _ _

______Jisoo beamed and drained the cup almost immediately, relaxing into its warmth. Heat didn’t bother him as much, and the residual concerns of the morning faded away. He watched her sigh, and frowned at the cup.  
_Did the drink offend her? It was really tasty. Maybe she needs me to finish it for her._  
He looked up at her, fighting the faint hope in his eyes, and managed,  
“Is everything okay?” There was a pause, “You’re going to finish that, right?”_ _

____ _ _

____“Huh?”_ _ _ _

____Heejung opened her eyes and blinked at Jisoo in confusion. “Ah...nothing is wrong, exactly.” She paused and furrowed her brow again, trying to think of the right words. Finally, she spoke slowly,_ _ _ _

____“I feel really happy...warm and light. But, er...this was almost like when you all changed a couple of months ago; it’s very dream-like and weird, and I’m honestly still trying to...wrap my head around it, I think.”_ _ _ _

____She smiled warmly. “Nothing really bad. Just...um…”_ _ _ _

____Confused.  
 _If it is nothing bad, then why does Heejae’s statement bother me so much?__ _ _ _

____ _ _

____Heejung looked at her mug. “Oh.” She blinked, “You can have it; I had one earlier with my breakfast.”_ _ _ _

____ _ _

______“You sure?” He asked, but he was already putting his mug down and reaching for hers- He paused, then, his hands wrapped around hers, and knelt slightly to look into her eyes,  
“If something’s bothering you, you can say so. It’s alright. It’s just me.”  
He smiled dully, “And it’s not like I’d tell anyone else. Well, except for Beauford.”  
He glanced to the patio, and shrugged, “But he’s not very talkative, for a plant.”_ _

____ _ _

____Heejung nodded. “Of course! I had it with my oatmeal, and I can always make more if I want another one…” She shrugged a shoulder and was about to nudge her mug to his hand, but instead he placed his hands in hers. Heejung exhaled and gazed down at them; strong and powerful, they were bandaged all across the knuckles and palms. She ran her thumb over the bandages on his right hand and hesitated,_ _ _ _

_____“You named the…” Heejung shook her head, grinning slightly.  
“I...okay.” Her giggle was brief, and her smile faded. “The thing is…”   
_This is like last week all over again!__ _ _

____ _ _

____Heejung took a deep breath._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____“Last night happened, right?” She paused and bowed her head, cheeks burning. “I mean, I know it did happen, but,” Heejung shrugged her shoulders and let out a small, awkward laugh._ _ _ _

____“I never thought this...being confessed to, would happen to me.” She could feel her cheeks burn fiercely as she stumbled her way through her explanation. “Not when so many people said other things.”_ _ _ _

_____My mother, some of my friends in high school...Some of their intentions were good, but most of it was...ugh._ _ _ _ _

____ _ _

____Heejung shook her head out of her thoughts._ _ _ _

____“S-So I never have prepared myself for this, this...possibility and change.”_ _ _ _

____ _ _

_______Jisoo’s brows lifted as his hands wrapped around the cup, once tight in their grip, now relaxed slightly. His shoulders loosened their tension, and he smiled around the memory of just moments ago, her murmured words, nervous compliments-- But _sincere_. She was so -- Sweet. Simple, not in intellect, but just in being--  
Though he toed a thin line, and reminded himself he shouldn’t underestimate her. He knew that feeling too well, and knew _further_ that underestimating women--  
Well, that didn’t go well. Her mother did enough of that for him, anyway, and he bristled at the thought, cringing at himself as his nails raked the cup. He ought to take her in wholey, as she was, and take this one step at a time--  
Even if figured he’d bungle the whole damn thing. Still, he took a deep breath alongside her and settled the cup on the railing, glancing down off the porch to overlook the city beneath them for a moment, watching the light catch the buildings and distant ocean, before he returned his gaze to her, her hands clenched in front of her, toes pointed at one another and frown edging her hesitant look. She’d barely lifted her eyes to him, but he managed to find his voice and was surprised at how soft he was being: Softness wasn’t something that came to him easily. It was quicker to get things over with loudly--  
But she _needed_ softness.  
“Hey,” He smiled and stepped forward, once, twice, then lifted her chin,  
“It’s alright. I said so earlier-- It’s just me. I may be stupid, but,” He winked,  
“I know we can take it slow. And I know that-- Yes, it _happened._ ”  
He lowered his hands and found hers, lifting them and squeezing quietly, not daring to step forward: Space. She was a wish- A dream-- Delicate and distant, like the seeds of a dandelion: One bad breath and they’d scatter to the wind. Even with-- With everything at stake-- His heart lurched. He wasn’t ready to lose her yet. He could keep this going. He just needed time--  
So much time. Time was all he wanted. Time to walk with her, time to watch her draw, the early mornings when she arched her back and stretched, the time between commercial breaks when she’d run her hand over his absently, the time--  
He realized he’d been spacing out. He cleared his throat and felt a flush rise to his cheeks: He was stupid. Shit. She’d be giving him the look she usually saved for when he asked to order something stupid for the house.   
“I care about you, Heejung. A lot. More than just… A foodgiver. You’re _important_ \-- You’re _worth something__. You’re talented and creative, and have so much more depth than I think you’re given credit for. Where I come from, we revere our artists-- Their make their hearts and souls known through their work, and you…”  
He shook his head, and brushed back her hair from her face with an absent fondness, his smile carrying to his eyes and a weight bearing down over his heart, causing his breath to slow,  
“You’ve got so much to show us. And if you let me, I wanna see it.” 

____ _ _

____Heejung let out a breath and gazed into his eyes. She blinked once, then twice…_ _ _ _

____Why did she have to tear up now out of all times?!_ _ _ _

____She sniffed and nodded, giving him a warm smile and shakily reached out a hand to touch his cheek before hesitating and drawing it back. No. That didn’t feel quite right. Heejung wiped her eyes and leaned over, bringing her shoulder to his and curling in slightly. Looking up, she took a deep breath._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____Maybe she was more emotionally vulnerable than usual, but right now, doing this felt very natural to her._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____Heejung leaned in slowly and stood up on the tip of her toes before giving him the softest of kisses-- a peck, a brushing of her lips against his cheek, really. It was shaky, quick and shy, but it was done._ _ _ _

____Drawing back, she looked down at the ground and blushed deeply._ _ _ _

____“I’m not very good with words, so...I hope...this conveys what I want to say.” She smiled a shaky, shy smile._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____Jisoo’s face lit up with a grin, and he ducked his chin, trying not to look like he was gloating-- Even if, internally, he was quite the braggart. He chuckled softly to himself, his voice a little rough as he murmured huskily, leaning into her embrace and wrapping his arms around her, bringing her against him,  
“Absolutely.”_ _ _ _

____ _ _

____Heejung let out a gasp when she was, almost literally, sucked into the hug in surprise. She blushed and snuggled closer, closing her eyes. Her heart raced._ _ _ _

____This felt so nice._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____Heejung moved her gaze to look up at Jisoo’s face quietly, studying it. After a pause, she spoke again, her voice gentle._ _ _ _

____“I want to do the best I can for you. Even though I...er...don’t really know what I am doing, I still want to.” She took a breath to steel her nerves and racing heart. “So I need to ask some stuff...just to...I guess straighten everything out in my mind and get an idea on what to do next.”_ _ _ _

____Her smile shrank a little to a sheepish one. “I hope that’s all right.”_ _ _ _

____ _ _

_____Jisoo’s lips brushed her hair, and he smiled into the scent of her shampoo, before taking in her eyes and trying to suppress the feeling that his heart had kicked up several beats. He smiled warmly,  
“That’s alright-- Ask away, whatever you like.”  
So she was inexperienced-- Everyone was at some point, even romantics like the silver rabbit, and hell, everyone knew the orange cat had a slew of ladies-- But Jisoo had heard how that went. He never actually did anything but string them along; if that guy were to ever get serious he’d be in over his head faster than he could kick._ _ _

____ _ _

____Heejung nodded and turned her head to look out toward the ocean from the balcony. With the side of her head on Jisoo’s chest, she could hear his racing heart pretty well despite how calm he seemed. Her breathing synced with his, and she felt wonderful surrounded by warmth, the faint scent of his leather jacket and how the jacket was, how his arms--_ _ _ _

____Her cheeks reddened further and she redirected her train of thought. Right. Her question. Looking out into the ocean, Heejung spoke up,_ _ _ _

____“I’m not sure how to ask this. Because of the fact that you’re a different world,” She shrugged slightly and looked up into Jisoo’s eyes again. “Is being with someone much different there than over here? In...in terms of customs or traditions, that kind of thing. Ah, this is really hard to put into words.”_ _ _ _

____ _ _

____She softened her voice to almost a whisper now, feeling more timid. “I don’t want to do anything that’s considered offensive to you even though it’s okay over here and vice versa…” Heejung’s gaze moved to his ears as she watched them twitch, thinking._ _ _ _

____ _ _

_____For example, what I did with his ears-- did that have a meaning where he is from that I didn’t know? Did I make things more complicated without knowing it?_ She paused from her thoughts, smiling slightly, as she gazed at his ears for a few more seconds before returning her focus to his eyes. _ _ _ _

____I really liked doing it though...if it did make things complicated, I probably shouldn’t, even though I was given the okay._ _ _ _

____ _ _

______Jisoo's laugh was husky as he smoothed her cheek with his thumb, “You? Offensive? Please, food giver. I don't think you've got it in you.”  
His grin was wry as he tilted his head, “We do have some-- small things. I usually don't let people touch my ears but that's different for everyone. Cats don't date rabbits and vice versa, but…” He trailed off,  
“This is different and I'd make an exception anyway. It's a stupid rule.”  
He blinked, “Wait-- _I_ didn't do anything did I? Do I need to kiss your hand or something?”_ _

____ _ _

____Heejung stepped back out of their embrace and looked up at Jisoo with her classic deadpan expression for a split second before shaking her head quickly._ _ _ _

____“No! That’s-- that’s super awkward.” She shook her head again, looked away and frowned slightly before muttering,_ _ _ _

____“I don’t need you to do anything special. Some girls like that, but...it’s too...it’s too much.” Heejung paused for a beat. “And honestly, it’s kind of...intimidating, so don’t do that.”_ _ _ _

____She exhaled and sat down on the ground, leaning her back against the washing machine. Relief washed over her; it was good to know Jisoo wouldn’t care about her being different. Smiling up at him, she added,_ _ _ _

____“You’re fine just the way you are.”_ _ _ _

_______Jisoo grinned and winked roguishly, perhaps a little smug as he adjusted his bandages and purred low in his throat,  
“Good. Because I change for no one.”  
There was a pause, in which he wanted to add and you shouldn't either-- But she had, hadn't she?  
At first it was fun. A game with a goal and a prize. Jisoo had always been good at games; he took enough risks to know how to balance things for himself. He knew the complexity of an honest answer and the reality of a simple one, and he knew how to move things to get his way. He'd avoided enough arrests and talked himself out of (and more tellingly, _into_ ) enough fights to know where to put his feet, so to speak. So: he'd endeared her to him.   
Part of him hoped she never learned this: a well placed rub through her legs, a pair of bright golden eyes and a throaty purr-- crawling in her lap, sleeping on her chest. He'd managed to make her love him as a pet, and to learn about her in the meantime.   
It’d been a game when she was away at school: gather knowledge and use it.   
Stupid things-- her food preference, her shows, her clothes, her life--  
And when he hasn't found much about that last one he'd become curious. And by then, he was signaling the beginning of his own end.   
Beyond her plain and platitude toiled something hidden beneath charcoal and pencil shavings, brusque and brutal at its edges, ragged and torn. Like a sheet of paper drawn over and erased she was carved with ghosts of the demands of others, and beneath everything she toiled to find a semblance of self-- and in her private life, he'd _seen__ it. And he'd found it--  
Well, what words were there for it? It was like hunting a sparrow and finding it had broken, golden wings. He wanted to protect it and stalk it all at once, full of fire and possession. He had convinced himself he alone knew this private self of hers, he alone saw the diamond thread woven through the dark, and he alone would follow it to its end. She became his without becoming at all, his broken sparrow, and he wanted to be the one to lead her to the sky again--  
Even if her flight would take him from her.   
It'd be worth it, he thought, to see her swoop through the air like she had through his heart. 

____ _ _

____Heejung’s smile grew slightly and she lowered her head. It was hard to resist the impulse to giggle, but she kept it in check. Her closed sketchpad sat on her lap ready for her to resume sketching._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____“With all that I said to you last week about why I like you so much, I hope not!” Her shoulders shook with silent giggles before exhaling. “B-Because,” She cleared her throat, “I meant every word.”_ _ _ _

____ _ _

_____It was embarrassing too, but I’m glad it happened._ _ _ _ _

____ _ _

____She gazed down at her sketchpad and traced the cover with her fingers. “And I still do.” Her fingers moved to trace an invisible figure-eight shape, taking comfort in the familiar, repeating motion._ _ _ _

____ _ _

_____I have a chance to do this differently than Mom and Dad. Their lack of support for each other tore them apart, all because Mom changed what she wanted from their marriage. She swallowed hard. I hope this is right._ _ _ _ _

____ _ _

____Heejung looked up and spoke tentatively,_ _ _ _

____“Jisoo,” She paused, trying to find the right words. “Do you have certain...needs you need to be met when you’re with someone? I don’t mean in terms of characteristics or traits they must have, but more like... a goal on what you want the, er, relationship to be like.”_ _ _ _

____It made sense in Heejung’s thoughts, but the verbal delivery was seriously butchered and needed work. She stared back down at her closed sketchpad to will her blushing cheeks away to no avail._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____If there was one thing Heejung noticed despite never having been in a relationship, it was that people were different when it came to what they wanted. For instance, her father wanted companionship, something more quiet and steady, more family-like than romantic with her mother. Her mother, on the other hand, was more interested in either money or material possessions from her father. Their marriage became more and dysfunctional over time until its bitter end._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____Some people in her high school and college classes preferred flings, interested in only the surface level. Jiyeon takes it to a whole another level by wooing different women while reaping in all of the money and food they give him, then tossing them to the side. It was understandable, though-- Jisoo explained that it was how the majority of cats survived where they came from._ _ _ _

____ _ _

_____What are we? What does he want us to be?_ _ _ _ _

____Heejung went over the question in her mind with wide eyes._ _ _ _

_____Did I ask too loaded of a question? ...He did say I could ask anything!_ _ _ _ _

_______About a thousand answers tumbled through Jisoo’s head, and the idea of them tumbling didn’t do anything to help his internal state. Alarm bells were going off somewhere as distant regions of his mind like ‘logic’ and ‘politeness’ seemed to shut down all-together. He blinked once, let himself take a deep breath, and willed against everything in his blood to keep from doing something embarrassing, or having something embarrassing pop up.  
 _RELATIONSHIPS, NITWIT--  
Well, it’s sort of in the same category-  
You KNOW she means emotionally. She’s about as virginal as mayonnaise.  
What?  
What?_  
He blinked a second time and cleared his throat. Past relationships wandered through his thoughts, as brief as a sneeze. He hadn’t had many-- Less than one hand’s worth, really. The longest had been a couple of months before her parents had found out. Leave it to a rabbit to throw a fit, right? It’d been fun while it’d lasted, and hey-- What they said about rabbits _had_ been true in _that_ case--  
Unfortunately, so had everything else they’d said. Still. Heejung was definitely no Rabbit, and certainly not someone on whom he had a wide variety of cultured superstitions to place. She was her own sort of… Person. This, frankly, made the endeavor all the more terrifying.  
“W-ell,” He began, and tried to relax. He frowned faintly. What DID he want? He wanted her, obviously. He wanted her and her alone. He wanted her safe and comfortable and _happy--  
Even when you know you’re going to ruin all of that._  
His fingers drummed the railing of the porch carefully as he gave her a sidelong glance, a soft smile playing on his features. He could keep it up for a little while longer, and it made her so happy. It just made it harder-- Hell, he was used to the hard way of things.  
“I’m not the picket-fence and a dog type of person.” He wrinkled his nose,  
“For one, I don’t like dogs, and two, I don’t know what I’d do with a whole house. I mean, it should be… Fun. And nice. Nice for everyone. Everyone should be feel… Good. Feeling good is important.”  
 _In lots of ways.__  
He shrugged, almost casually and smiled. That should definitely cover it all, right? 

____ _ _

____Heejung moved her gaze up to Jisoo’s face. She tilted her head to the side slightly in confusion. Picket fences and dogs...well, the dog part made sense, given he was a cat and all but._ _ _ _

____“I, er, can’t really afford those so...you’re okay. She looked down at her sketchbook once again. “I...you don’t want me to act differently to you though? I mean in terms of interacting, l-like when we’re out…”_ _ _ _

____Going out in public had to be the biggest change, right? Were the two actually going to go on dates now? Did he actually _want_ public displays of affection in public like holding hands? _Actually holding hands?_ Her cheeks reddened at the thought._ _ _ _

____ _ _

______“Or just around the house around the others...things like that.” Heejung ran her fingers along the edges of the pages shyly. “Ah...I hope that makes sense?”  
Jisoo’s ears swiveled and he eyed her a moment, confused. Why should she want to act differently for him? He said as much:  
“What? No. That’s-- That’s silly. I wouldn’t _like_ you if you weren’t _you_. Don’t say that, huh?”  
And he knelt down, sliding next to her and butted at her arm with his head, frowning, “Knock it off.”_ _

____ _ _

____Heejung blushed further and looked away for a moment. The closer he moved to her, the more her heart raced and pounded. Still, even though the sensations were a little uncomfortable for her, the sincerity and kindness in his words simply overpowered it all, making her feel a little warmer inside. She looked back toward him and smiled, speaking softly,_ _ _ _

____“Okay.”_ _ _ _

____She moved her left hand toward his hair and slowly ran her fingers through it, her motions hesitant. She scratched one ear gently for a moment, then stopped--_ _ _ _

____No. She can’t do that without asking, even though it comforted her too. That was rude._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____Jisoo flickered one eye up at her, and huffed slightly, “Why are you stopping?”_ _ _ _

____“H-Huh? But I didn’t ask…” Heejung was befuddled. “You’re, um, okay with this?”_ _ _ _

____She bowed her head and blushed more before she resumed scratching. “...I wanted to be sure.” Her muscles loosened and she relaxed while she continued. Her right hand continued to gently touch the edges of her sketchpad’s pages._ _ _ _

______Maybe I should show him right now? It’s not finished, and I don’t like others judging my work, but...this is Jisoo. This is different._  
“You can always be sure with me.” He hummed into the touch, musing as he remained slightly hunched over. It was a little uncomfortable, but quite worth it. His eyes roved after her hands, and he watched the sketchbook with interest. Sometimes she did still lifes of fruit. He liked those. Once she’d drawn a bird, and it looked so real he’d been half-tempted to swat at it--  
But she wasn’t showing him these, and his curiosity rustled. What could she be drawing?_ _ _

____ _ _

____“Ah...okay.”_ _ _ _

____Heejung let out a soft sigh and nodded, then looked into Jisoo’s eyes. Even though he was in his human form right now, the look he had brought her back to when she first showed him her sketches while he was in his animal form. He had the very same gaze as he did now, one full of curiosity. Sure, he may not have been perched on the edge of her bed and rolling at the end of the sheets, but it was the same face. Just with more of a nose._ _ _ _

____She took a deep breath and opened her sketchpad with her left hand, quickly flipping through to the last page. Her movements were a little shaky from nerves as she turned the last page before her half-finished sketch came into view._ _ _ _

____The Jisoo-sketch’s eyes were the first thing that popped out to her once again, both carefully shaded and full of detail, the light in them soft. The rest of his facial features were laid out and placed, but only sketched in very lightly. His hair and ears were basically finished though, minus some finishing touches and shading for the lighting. The bottom of the sketch stopped around the outline of his shoulders; she didn’t get to drawing his necklace, scarf, and the shoulders of his jacket yet._ _ _ _

____Was it imperfect? Yes. It was her first time drawing without a reference in front of her, which accounted for the constant erase marks and faint lines._ _ _ _

____But it was hers._ _ _ _

____Heejung licked her lips and began to write at the bottom with the real Jisoo watching:_ _ _ _

_____‘Happy Birthday Jisoo!’_ _ _ _ _

____ _ _

_______Jisoo’s breath hitched a moment as the pages blurred past; sketches and charcoal and pencil and ink, a kaleidoscope of shapes and hues rushing by. His lips upturned into a slow smile and he chuckled warmly, feeling himself relax and his heart melt--  
She had these of him. Why would he ever worry about her forgetting? There’d always be that something. He’d know her the second he saw her sketch again--  
It was then he promised he’d find her. No matter what was going to happen. Even if the Wizard set them worlds apart, if this whole thing worked…  
His hand snaked to hers and he sat up, breathing her in a single moment with a soft sigh. He couldn’t stop smiling--  
She saw him. Not for what he presented. Not for his bravado, his manners (or lack of them, really) -- But him.   
And he was hers.  
And she was his.  
He leaned in and lifted her chin, turning her to face him with a low, warm laugh,  
“I love it. I love _you__.”  
He kissed her slowly, and enjoyed the present all the more for it. 


End file.
